Winter Wishes
by Zelha
Summary: Christmas is around the corner and yet, these two just can’t stop being themselves. Yet another Walking Together spin-off. Beware of teh fluffeh. GaaSaku.


Summary: Christmas is around the corner and yet, these two just can't stop being themselves. Yet another Walking Together spin-off. Beware of teh fluff.

Disclaimer: I don't own, of course. But I own an awesome Therion sweater. 8D

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Truly, I don't know what the hell I'm doing here, but yay for blanket scenarios! Alas, finally Manolito came out of his hiding place and regaled me with his haughty presence. I should change his name to Malfoy, hahahahaha. Stupid ass bunneh.

Events before theme 13 in the _Walking Together_ collection, so go read that one first!

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**Winter W****ishes**

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Grimacing as her back touched the cold stone wall, Sabaku no Sakura wondered how in the hell they could miss the horrible snowstorm that was brewing over their heads.

It had been a nice diplomatic trip to Wind's Capital city. The meeting with the Five Countries' Daimyo had run without a hitch, until someone thought it was their duty to poke fun at the Kazekage's choice of a wife. Especially because she was a foreigner brought all the way from Fire Country, and with such weird coloring, to boot.

Suffice it to say, Gaara's frown was the only warning the opinionated person got before the sand started to come out of his gourd. The Daimyo was alarmed; of course, he _should_ have been, because a bloodbath could have happened if the Kazehime, the same woman they were criticizing, hadn't raised her little, white hand, and placed it over her husband's. This spurred a reaction in the red-haired Kage, who stared at his wife's placid eyes for a moment before nodding curtly, summoning his sand back to its container wordlessly.

Then, Sakura smiled at the offender, so sweetly, that the man couldn't help but smile back. What he didn't know was that, according to Kankurou – and Naruto – the depth of the shit her victim was in could be determined by how sweet her smile was.

Gaara, on the other hand, simply reclined back in his seat, crossing his fingers in a calculated move. It was simply to keep the audience from noticing his sadistic smirk, though. Sakura sent him a covert wink before addressing the man, acting as arrogant as her husband, proceeding to give him a piece of her mind in dulcet tones that had the poor man sweating bullets when she touched that taboo subject of women in positions of power.

Especially when a golden-haired Hokage raised a sardonic, stylish eyebrow at that particular statement, while her companion – the future Rokudaime Hokage – looked as if he was about to bolt, screaming bloody murder.

As the man hastily apologized for his shortcomings, the rest of the Daimyo could plainly see the wicked smile both kunoichi shared. Naruto looked relieved, glad that the situation had been defused quickly, and Gaara was simply all too amused with his wife's performance.

Inwardly, of course.

But a little tip from one of Sakura's guards told both of them that they could be targeted, seeing as the demands of their own Daimyo fell at his Kage's feet, who was not above refusing the ludicrousness of his Liege Lord, even if he threatened to withdraw the village's funding. Sakura kept quiet during the entire debate, but it was obvious that the budget explained by Gaara had been devised by the both of them, especially if one took into account how she passed him the appropriate documents to illustrate his scheme. It goes without saying that the budget got approved, if reluctantly, by the Daimyo, but his face said everything he thought of this dynamic duo regarding the economy and politics of Wind Country.

All in all, they had to take off like a bat from hell when the summit concluded, leaving a baffled Naruto and a frowning Tsunade with an explanation in a coded scroll.

The warning came true when the advanced guard got ambushed by hired mercenaries, but with Gaara at the limit of his patience, the entire affair ended rather quickly and answers were provided in high-pitched tones from the attackers. Now, they had to sneak around, to plainly put it, in order to avoid confrontations that might set the Wind Daimyo's wrath on them – and the whole Sunagakure no Sato by default – if they killed the hired pawns. Breaking the guard ranks, sending them in groups around the desert while the Kaze couple entered Rain in order to get to River Country and then straight up home had been a good idea in theory, but now Sakura wasn't so sure of it.

Truly, she had completely forgotten about the four seasons. Living in Suna gave her a different perspective of the weather, especially when you only see two seasons: drought and rain. Temari called them "the unbearably dry, hot season" and "the humid but still hot season" to Sakura's amusement – she found this statement to be so appallingly true it was funny.

Now, after trekking the outskirts of Amegakure with all the stealth they could muster – after all, it was hostile territory, but in comparison it was easier to deal with known enemies than the backstabbing, politic foe at home – they had to seek shelter in a cave to wait out the snowstorm that hit just as they passed the River Country border.

"This cave was used by animals," her husband informed her flatly. "Feline kind, it seems, from the look of the slash patterns here."

Sakura sighed and tried to keep herself warm by hugging her chest, as Gaara finished his recon around the cave. Jade eyes regarded her drenched, shivering figure, making a swift decision.

"I'm going to set some traps and get some wood for a fire."

"Alright, be careful," was the answer that came from pale lips.

His frown marked his face as he set out to accomplish his goal.

-X-

Gaara returned to the cave quickly when his _Daisan no Me_ technique showed him a Sakura way too blue for his tastes. It took a little bit of effort, but his sandy Third Eye was crucial, allowing him to keep vigil over his tired wife, especially when they had agreed not to use chakra to warm up – they still were too close to Ame – for the safety of their return home.

Sakura sighed when he arranged the products of his search in order to set them on fire.

"We need to warm up fast," she said between shivers. "I can feel hypothermia starting to set in."

"We need to share body heat then," he answered, pulling his drenched maroon coat off his shoulders, holding his hands next to his wife's over the newly lit bonfire, thanks to a little Katon jutsu of hers. "We should have thought this plan through."

"How stupid could we be, we weren't even equipped for cold temperatures," Sakura scowled, getting rid of her own white trench coat and hanging it next to the Kazekage's. "One might think we live on another planet, I absolutely forgot about snow! I'm sorry, Gaara."

"No need to apologize," he observed mildly. "I did not take the seasons into account either."

"At least we have each other to warm up," she said with a smirk, winking at her husband. "This resembles one of Kankurou's trashy movies."

"Ridiculous," he snorted as he directed his sand to seal the cave entrance and Sakura sat at his side. "My brother is a moron."

"Yeah, mine too, but we can't really complain about them, can we?" she shot back with a huffed laugh, and then frowned again. "Stupid snow, we could be reaching the oasis by now!"

"Let it go, Sakura; it would be better if we take a little longer to avoid any more ambushes."

A little silence passed as they pulled their blankets out of their packs and finished shedding their cold, wet clothes and huddled together in a close embrace.

"Say, Gaara," Sakura spoke softly after a while, leaning her head on her husband's shoulder. "If the Daimyo really withdraws his financial support, what can we do?"

"He would not dare," he replied confidently, as he opened his eyes from the light meditation. "Suna is not the same village that it was back in the time of the Fourth Kazekage. We grew a lot and our forces are to be reckoned with in the rest of the countries."

"That is true," she conceded with a little, proud smile. "It was thanks to you, mainly."

"No. It was because the villagers wanted to get out of the poverty we were in."

Sakura let out a little laugh. Her redheaded spouse wasn't one to fish for compliments, and he usually deflected them on others.

"Be that as it may, Gaara," she pressed on, "the times changed greatly since then. Maybe the village grew up, but you helped it blossom. Economically speaking, Suna is as rich as Kumogakure, and that's saying a lot."

"Exactly, that is why the Daimyo won't dare to withdraw his support. We are too valuable for him and his snobbish lifestyle. Hypothetically, if he does so, he would be losing so many ryo that he would have to fire his entire staff and harem."

"Wha-- he has a harem?!" Sakura turned her stunned eyes to Gaara, who nodded. "That perverted old man!"

"The allowance he gives us is merely a fraction of what we make during winter times. Mission demand rises in these months, as I told you."

"So, basically, you have that sick perverted bastard cornered," she snorted. "It was good that I didn't know that, otherwise I would have been haughtier with the other moron."

"And you say you can't pull the arrogant card on people," Gaara taunted, pulling her closer to him. Sakura laughed and kissed his cheek.

"That's because my dear hubby is already programmed for hubris, and that is the kind of thing that rubs off on others," she said as she tilted her head to the side, allowing him to slide his lips down her throat. A little growl rumbled deep in his chest, protesting her statement. "Alright, not programmed, but at least reveling in it."

"I _am_ the Kazekage," he murmured as his lips reached the shell of her ear. "I _need_ to be prideful or my village will suffer."

"So you're saying you don't... mmm... enjoy being an arrogant ass?" she asked cheekily as his right hand closed over her hip and his left drew a line from her stomach to her neck.

"It would be better for you to stop taunting me," he warned with a chuckle, pulling at her so she was situated over him. "Can you not see I am trying to warm you up?"

"Fair enough," she laughed, allowing her husband to position her legs around his waist. Gaara was sitting with her on top, close enough to the muted fire for both of them to feel its comforting heat.

Sakura looked at the man she married. He seemed relaxed; his dark markings around his closed eyes stood out more in his features when he was in repose like this. There wasn't a scowl adorning his forehead or a frown in his lips; he was simply enjoying her close proximity and the fact that she was caressing his red hair with the care he always thought was so precious.

"Is there anything on my face?" he asked in a murmur, cracking his eyes open just a bit. Sakura smiled, trailing her fingertips over his forehead and down his straight nose.

"I was just looking at you," she said, her tone low. "You're a handsome man, Gaara."

His eyes opened a bit more. "I think you are a little biased."

"Perhaps," she admitted, letting out a laugh. "Just a little. I know you think these are intimidating, but they're really not. At least, not for me."

She was tracing the shadows around his eyes. He snorted and frowned.

"You don't need to say that, Sakura."

"Hey, I'm telling the truth. These markings are as much a part of you as this," she caressed the kanji on his forehead. "I like the whole composition as it is, Gaara. Your nose is very attractive, your lips are something on the sinful side," she winked, making him smirk. "And your eyes... they hold so much of your soul, Gaara. Sometimes, I get the feeling you can read my mind just looking at me with those piercing eyes of yours... and the markings only increase that effect, you know."

He was silent for a moment, pondering her words as she kept delivering tiny caresses to his face with only her fingertips. Her hands were a bit calloused – a sure sign of hard work, training, and her favorite pastime, shattering the grounds – but still soft.

"I find your face simply fascinating," he murmured, fixing his gaze on hers. "Your features are very expressive. Your mouth is always quirking and stretching, your eyebrows always enhance your expressions. But your eyes are the most stunning I've ever seen."

He smirked once more when he saw her blushing.

"I think you're the one that's a bit biased, with me being your wife and all."

Gaara rolled his eyes; he simply couldn't win with her. "You are my wife, yes. But you are also my friend, and my lover. My other half. I do not know how to be one of those moronic, romantic men you women like so much, but I am telling you what I have always thought of you. Have I ever told you that _your eyes_, so full of furious determination, are what stopped me from attacking you and Uchiha?"

She shook her head, surprised. That little piece of their shared past wasn't one that Gaara liked to revisit, because of the amount of guilt that flooded his heart. After all, he had tried to kill his wife when they were kids.

Truly, if she hadn't stood so livid and resolute to confront him... she wouldn't be here, wrapped so intimately around him, providing him with warmth that reached every corner of his being.

"I didn't know," she whispered. "I never thought..."

Gaara shook his head. "Your eyes are so full of life that many people are drawn to them. I was, since the very beginning. Your hair, too. Very exotic and interesting."

"Even if it's short?" she questioned, now really curious. Her husband wasn't really forthcoming whenever she or Temari asked for a male opinion in their looks. Kankurou didn't count; he was simply a jackass when they asked him something fashion-related. Gaara, on the other hand, simply nodded and grunted when she asked if she looked alright.

"I don't mind it short. It's the color that fascinates me. It suits you, yet it is deceiving."

Sakura smiled and kissed the tip of his nose.

"Because I'm not really a cherry blossom, right?" she teased, feeling his hands sliding down her back and waist to stop over her bottom cheeks. He nodded, smirking as he felt her shiver under his touch.

"No. You are the _Steel Blossom_. And Suna's Kazehime. And my life."

"And you are quite the charmer, mister," she shot back, peppering his lips with little kisses. "It's no wonder I can't be angry at you for a long while. Your honesty is truly disarming."

"Even if I am blunt and harsh?" Gaara recalled Temari scolding him at the beginning of his reign for being too callous with their operatives.

"You wouldn't be _you_ if you weren't direct and stern. Even Tsunade-shishou is a bit mean when she's dealing with her shinobi. But I guess it's kind of a job hazard, isn't it?"

The redheaded man shrugged. She definitely had a point with that.

"Besides..." she added, her tone changing from low to mischievous. Gaara noticed immediately, due to the sudden darkening of her eyes and the fact that she shifted her hips just enough to make him realize the position they were in. "That single-mindedness of yours is one of your best features, don't you think?"

"Whatever..." he trailed off as he felt her connecting their bodies slowly, assaulting his senses with a moan in his ear, and a very naked and gorgeous wife moving over him, starting that ritual of intimacy that never failed to reassure his existence.

Outside their little cave, a blanket of snow marked the ending of the blizzard, but they didn't care. Immersed in each other, bringing one another to that plateau of pleasure both enjoyed greatly, warming themselves up with the most ancient bonding ritual in the history of mankind, the connection they had deepened with every stroke, every caress, and every kiss.

The Kazekage wasn't one for traditions or wishing nonsense, but having his wife wrapped so securely around him, making an effort to please him in such a slow, primal way, he wished for her never to let him go.

He was sure of something, though. He was never going to let _her_ go.

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_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** And this is done! Way to go, Zelha, finishing this WAY _after_ the holidays. But I couldn't find my muse; stupid bunny was pissed drunk under his rock. Ahahaha.

As always, kudos and thanks to my dear MelissaRose85 for her betaing job, and to you guys for reading. 8D


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